Watch These 8 Movies Before Planning Your Halloween Costume

There's no question about it: Year after year, the best Halloween costumes come from movies (okay, and TV shows too). Classic cinema has solidified the status of certain characters with timeless style that resonates with so many generations. We see so many Wednesday Addams costumes every year because everyone remembers watching that movie. Instead of walking into a Halloween fête wearing a costume too obscure for anyone to know, consider an iconic and stylish character from one of these eight movies.

You probably want to rewatch all these titles anyhow, as they're classics, and depending on which decade you were born, they might incite a touch of nostalgia. So before you stress out about what or who to dress up as on the 31st, rewatch one of these films for inspiration. Thanks to certain retro silhouettes coming back into style, like the strong shoulder, you're sure to find something that speaks to you here.

Keep reading to see which movies are a must-watch before planning your Halloween costume.

Brian de Palma's 1983 psychological thriller is another incredible Michelle Pfeiffer performance, and her character Elvira Hancock is the iconic blonde bombshell you'll want to dress up as.

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Name a film with a more all-star cast than Witches of Eastwick. We'll wait. All three of the female protagonists, played by Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer, offer up big heads of curly locks and the dreamiest patterned robes you've ever seen. Spooky but so chic.

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One of the most copied movie characters as far as Halloween costumes go has got to be Mia Wallace from Quentin Tarantino's infamous drama. But for such good reason. Uma Thurman in that white button-down with her black bob is instantly recognizable.

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Even if you're not a proclaimed sci-fi fan, you can appreciate the sleek looks from The Matrix. Everything from the slicked-back hair to the patent leather and futuristic sunglasses has been trending recently. If you're committed to keeping your Halloween costume as trend-forward as possible, this look is for you.

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Sorry, no, we don't mean the Steve Martin version. The original 1960s Pink Panther movies, while hilariously entertaining, also served up fabulous costumes, such as Princess Dahlia's jewel-embellished look.

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Though many versions exist, we're partial to the 1991 version where a youthful Christina Ricci plays Wednesday Addams. Release your inner goth by channeling Wednesday's pigtail braids and eternally unpleased look.

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While Twin Peaks was a TV show and not a movie, we felt we had to include the David Lynch murder mystery series because it doesn't get more quintessentially '90s than this.

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Who wouldn't want to be Winona Ryder if one could? But seriously, her no-cares-given teenage naïvete is almost more iconic than her achingly '80s wardrobe in the film. Pulling off her look is all about strong-shouldered blazers and pastel scrunchies with a hefty serving of angst.

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